I'll Promise You This
by p5ngmeawy
Summary: Shinji sacrificed himself for a person who does not share the same feelings as him, will he pull through? Or will he fall deeper and deeper. Only one person can help him, help him to become who he used to be. Shinji Ikari
1. Phase I tis' begins

I don't own Evangelion, Gainex owns Evangelion  
  
..chocobo : waArk :REI ROCKS:  
  
Takes place before ep.23.  
  
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Phase I.let it begin  
  
He had awakened from a dream in which he'd seen his own death. To him, death meant the ultimate reward. Each time he fought an angel, he wished for his own death. He had two reasons to pilot the Unit-01. Death and Rei. The moment he saw her struggle to get up and take his place to pilot Unit- 01, he felt guilt. He felt the need to protect her from everything, even his own father if needed.  
  
"Another day, another struggle."  
  
Shinji whispered as he forced himself into an upright position.  
  
5:47am  
  
He quickly got dressed in his school clothes and stuffed his SDAT into his back pocket. He moved silently to the kitchen, not wanting to wake Misato or Asuka up. He quickly prepared a breakfast for his roommates.  
  
"Today is going to be a long day."  
  
Shinji arrived to school at 6:30; the sky was a shade of dark grey.  
  
"It's going to rain"  
  
Shinji mumbled to himself. Without noticing it, Shinji was on the roof. Without thinking, he climbed onto the rail and sat on it.  
  
("Why...why did I pilot. Rei? Is she just an excuse I'm using?")  
  
What he didn't know was that there was a pair of crimson eyes looking at him.  
  
Rei woke up early today; she was attracted to the school somehow. The only purpose she served was to be the key for the Third Impact. She flashed back to all the times Asuka had called her "a doll".  
  
(.)  
  
As she got there she saw a figure on the roof.  
  
(Shinji..is..is he as lonely as me?)  
  
She climbed the stairs and arrived at the roof. She hid behind the door, wondering how he could look so calm.  
  
(Is he like me, does he understand ... loneliness?)  
  
School started as usual with the usual "STAND, BOW, SIT" from the class rep.  
  
Rei decided to talk to Shinji at lunch. As usual, she diverted her attention to the window.  
  
Shinji, who was watching Rei with interest, saw that she was different today.  
  
("Why did she look my way?")  
  
Maybe he had imagined it, but for a moment he saw her look in his direction.  
  
("Must be a trick of the light.")  
  
He sneaked his SDAT earphones under his uniform and put it into his ear. His thoughts were on Asuka now; he had heard that she has been staying with the class rep. But those thoughts were disturbed by the lunch bell. He quickly tucked away his things and brought out his lunch. He stood up and about to leave, but suddenly he heard his name whispered.  
  
"Pilot Ikari?"  
  
He turned around, O_O ...Ayanami...?  
  
Rei walked over to Shinji, "Could you accompany me to lunch? I need assistance in understanding my thoughts."  
  
("How could I refuse?") Shinji thought to himself.  
  
They both walked over to a beautiful Sakura tree. Shinji decided he spent a lot of time on the roof and wanted a change of scenery. He motioned her to sit and sat next to her.  
  
"So..what ...is it that you need help with?"  
  
He couldn't believe anyone would need his help. He was worthless, a coward, and a pervert.  
  
Rei kept her head down slightly, and then,  
  
"Why?" "Why did you ask me to smile for you?"  
  
With those words Shinji, immediately felt the blood rush to his cheeks. Within moments, he was at full-blush. He thought about it, and said something totally unpredictable and had no control over. He just wanted OUT, so he said these three words.  
  
"uhh..Ayanami. It is.. uh... because..." "It is because...I, I love you!..."  
  
Rei sat there. Her face has taken a slight shade of pink to those words.  
  
("Love?")  
  
Is that what I feel for Pilot Ikari? She had had dreams of Shinji pairing up with Asuka but never imagined him saying those words to him. She finally spoke,  
  
"I'm sorry Pilot Ikari but I do not know the meaning of love."  
  
"I don't love you."  
  
Shinji looking slightly hurt, quickly bowed his head in apologetic manner. Even though he said it maybe without meaning it, it still hurt.  
  
"I'm sorry Ayanami, I guess you don't feel the same way I do, but." I'll promise you this. Whatever happens, I will protect you as friends or more."  
  
Hiding the tears from his eyes, he quickly stood up and walked, if not ran away.  
  
Rei just sat there, thinking, then took out her lunch began to eat.  
  
Misato was driving with her cell in one hand and the steering wheel in the other.  
  
"I'll be there in 15 minutes. Sortie Unit-00 through the 32nd. Deploy Unit- 02 as back-up. The commander will direct Unit-01, I don't have the authority to release it."  
  
Shinji was already at NERV; he heard about it and was currently pleading his dad to let him help Rei. Rei was being corroded by the angel and there was nothing he could do about it. Those words rang throughout his mind  
  
("I don't love you...")  
  
He dropped to his knees,  
  
And then, he remembered his promise.  
  
("I will protect you, Rei...!") 


	2. Phase II the end

Disclaimer: No I don't own any bit of Evangelion, Gainex does.  
  
Edited thanks to Kooritenshi  
  
Phase II the end  
  
Shinji knew that pleading with his father to release Unit-01 would be useless. "Even if I promised Rei, how can I help her?" Millions of ideas came and left his head, but to his surprise Gendo spoke.  
  
"Remove the restraints from Unit-01 and sortie it immediately."  
  
As soon as Shinji heard this, he had hope. He would do anything to protect Rei; he had to, he'd promised her. Even if she didn't feel the same, he would protect her, as a friend.  
  
("First things first") Shinji told himself,  
  
"MISATO cut all connections and power to Unit-00 after I put up my AT- field"  
  
After he said that, he ran as fast as he could and drew out his progressive knife. He spread his AT-field around Rei instead of himself.  
  
"NOW!!" he yelled.  
  
"Cut all connections and deactivate Unit-00," Misato yelled at the technicians.  
  
Rei was about to self-destruct until her Eva lost all power and everything turned black. She couldn't feel the prodding of the angel, but she knew that if her power was gone, so was her AT-field. She wondered how she was still unharmed, she ejected her entry plug and landed safely.  
  
"Bring a rescue team to Rei's entry plug," Misato ordered.  
  
Seeing that Unit-00 was just an empty shell, the angel shot its tentacle like arm into Unit-01, and the other side toward Rei's entry plug. Shinji saw this and knew that he'd able to save Rei.  
  
"I hope this works," Shinji mumbled under breath as he concentrated on one thing.  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
Shinji's sync rate is now at 127% and rising!" Maya yelled from behind the screen. "150%, 220%, Unit-01 has gone berserk!"  
  
Misato saw this and said what any worried guardian would say  
  
"SHINJI, DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID!" she yelled through the comm. link.  
  
"SYNC RATE AT 400%!!!!!!" Maya yelled.  
  
Shinji felt a gentle presence as he focused on making his AT-Field reach it maximum strength. He projected his AT-Field around Rei's entry plug, protecting it from the angel's attack, but left himself vulnerable. The angel was already corroding Unit-01 parts even though it was berserk. Shinji tried to attack by biting the angel's tentacle, tried to slice it. Nothing worked.  
  
"So it has come down to this," "I had hoped to get away, here is my chance" He thought to himself.  
  
He grabbed the angel's tentacle and pulled with all his strength. The angel was forced to leave its attack on Rei and pushed further into Unit-01, causing Shinji great pain. Shinji did what no one would ever think he'd do. He pulled the Self-Destruct switch.  
  
"UNIT-01 IS IN SELF-DESTRUCT MODE," Maya screamed as she desperately tried to override the command.  
  
Everyone at NERV saw the seconds count down. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Shinji last thought that was put on replay in his mind was Rei telling him she didn't love him.  
  
0.  
  
Peace...  
  
A blinding light enveloped all of Tokyo-3, all visual and comm. sensors went offline. A huge explosion and its aftershocks could be felt miles away. NERV was in complete silence.  
  
Misato was in tears before the counter hit zero.  
  
Rei was evacuated from her plug and watched Shinji from the bridge of NERV. A single tear brought forth many tears from Rei.  
  
"Am I crying again?" She thought to herself. "This time, I know why I'm crying."  
  
Before Unit-01 exploded the last transmission heard was, "Promise..."  
  
Now Rei understood the meaning of loss, guilt, and maybe even love. She lost the only one that ever showed her compassion.  
  
"Pilo..Shinji" she spoke silently, she dropped to her knees and wept.  
  
Everyone in NERV was devastated, not just by Unit-01's actions, but by Rei. They now understood she was not a doll and actually had feelings.  
  
Finally Gendo spoke, "What is the status of the angel?" he said, as calm as ever with a bit of anger now that he say his creation had a flaw.  
  
"No blue pattern detected, Angel has been destroyed." Maya spoke over tears. Even though she had not known Shinji personally, she felt sad at his death and happy because he would not face any more pain.  
  
"Wait, something is detected."  
  
"Put it on screen" Gendo spoke  
  
To everyone's surprise it was Unit-01's core with only a flicker of life. That sight was too much though; the core was covered in blood and was burnt beyond recognition.  
  
"Send a salvage team to collect any...scraps, and send the core to the repair department."  
  
"Yes, sir." was heard from everyone on the bridge.  
  
"I thought it was the core that self-destructs" Misato said after crying her eyes out.  
  
"Yes, the core should have been destroyed, but it seems that it is still intact," Ritsuko spoke without much emotion.  
  
"Was the entry plug ejected before it exploded?" Misato asked.  
  
"No, we tried to send signal but it wouldn't accept. We received no sign that it was ejected either," Maya spoke with sadness.  
  
"I see...Shinji." Misato's eyes teared up again.  
  
"What is the status of Unit-02's pilot?" Gendo spoke suddenly.  
  
"It seems the pilot has fallen into a coma, sir." Ritsuko spoke.  
  
Gendo spoke up once again, "Ritsuko come to my office later we need to find replacements, and possible put plan C into motion"  
  
"Yes, sir"  
  
Rei wasn't taking any of this well. The commander had dismissed everyone, so she was going to go back to her apartment. On the way she found herself at Misato's apartment. Noticing the door was unlocked she walked in, then into Shinji's room. Rei broke down and started crying as she fell onto the bed.  
  
("In this room, I can smell Shinji.") she thought to herself through her tears.  
  
She rolled over onto something hard and saw it was his prized SDAT player. Rei put on the earphones, listened, and cried herself to sleep.  
  
Hiya, everyone....time 2 get my arse in gear n continue :] after seeing TOO MANY S/A fics it is time justice is served....  
  
As usual REVIEW PLZ...justice is costly to brain cells no? 


	3. Phase III Resurrection

Hey I'm back...  
  
Chocobo : WARKKKK :]  
  
O_O... where does it come from....no one knows Any way this is where it will start getting dark hopefully... As we introduce....Plan C....enjoy  
  
Phase III Resurrection  
  
*conversation between Gendo and Ritsuko*  
  
"Get Plan C up and running."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Are we really going to use it?"  
  
"..."  
  
"I mean, he IS your son."  
  
"My son is dead."  
  
"Once you extract him from the core, begin Plan C."  
  
"Yes, sir..."  
  
Rei had turned back into her usual introverted self, showing no sign of emotion since the day of Shinji's sacrifice.  
  
*skip to extraction*  
  
As Shinji's body was wheeled into the infirmary, Ritsuko took over.  
  
She took him into a private office and began to work.  
  
"I'm sorry, Shinji."  
  
And so...it begins...yet again.  
  
Shinji awakens...  
  
"Where am I...?"  
  
He remembered nothing, nothing except for his name and purpose.  
  
("I...Pilot Shinji Ikari, Third Child, Mankind's last hope")  
  
The nurse came in, and acknowledged the fact that he had awaken.  
  
::Ritsuko's office::  
  
Ritsuko glanced over to the folder labeled Plan C... She opened it up and read:  
  
"PLAN C"  
  
WARNING : EXPERIMENTAL  
  
Subject will be implemented with artificial memories. Subject will have previous memories erased and will have one main order. Danger to subject...  
  
Case I: Shinji Ikari  
  
*note signed: Gendo Ikari*  
  
Shinji will be flawless...  
  
Ritsuko spoke softly to herself, "God, what have we done, what have we created...?"  
  
Author notes :  
  
SORRY for the short chapter The next one will be MUCH MUCH longer once I figure out how 2 explain my idea... Basically Gendo has brainwashed Shinji into being like a ... perfect soldier... Argh expect next chapter up when I have more motivation X_X 


	4. Phase IV Introductions

Author Notes : Same disclaimer, refer to phase 1  
  
AN: Although I try to write this story to the best of my abilities, I can't help but feel my work is not as magnificent as other R/S stories I have read. I am trying my best so bear with me, and as always I welcome any helpful suggestions to help my writing improve.  
  
The story will de-rail from the official NGE storyline, but will hold some resemblance to it. To recap though, Shinji has sacrificed himself to protect Rei upholding his promise. He survived but at ... what cost? Anyway to those who complained that the rei/shinji-ness came too fast I had a reason for that...the real events leading to the blooming romance starts now...no more spoilers now read! my pre-reader is absent and will remain absent to proofread this for me so excuse the errors  
  
And so it begins...  
  
Phase IV - Introduction  
  
Shinji awoke from a dream that portrayed his own death. The same old dream, the same old feeling, the feeling disappointment. He glanced around his room and noticed a sound that much resembled a metronome clicking. It got louder and louder until he heard it stop outside of his door. The door burst open with the sight of a purple blur flying through the air, and the feeling of suffocation was felt thought him.  
  
"SHINJI!!!"  
  
He looked at his murderer and it turned out to be a mature woman with purple hair and a red coat. He barely managed to squeak out his response.  
  
"eek.."  
  
His murderer finally let go and he wondered why he wasn't dead yet. The figure spoke again,  
  
"Shinji I missed you so much I thought you died!"  
  
Shinji's mind was blank, the last thing he remembered was visiting his mom at the cemetery. Then he woke up to the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling in what appears to be a hospital. Now there's a purple haired women trying to kill him.  
  
"Shinji?"  
  
His mind was drawing up blanks as he gazed at the women. She says his name like she knows him. Yet how could she know him and he not know her. He asks the question that has been troubling his mind the whole time.  
  
"Excuse me, um who are you?  
  
... An awkward moment of silence... and the women spoke again,  
  
"Shinji?" "It's me Misato, what's wrong Shinji?"  
  
At that moment the Ritsuko entered the room. She spoke swiftly and professionally.  
  
"Let the patient rest Misato, he has been though a great ordeal. Also I need to talk with you in private"  
  
Shinji who was still confused about the whole matter just sat there and idly listened to the good doctor. He couldn't care less about doctors; they weren't there to save his mother. They couldn't save his mother. He could remember the screams and the sirens as his mother disappeared from his life, and soon his life would disappear from him. His whole life devoted to try to succeed, try for praise and acceptance. His life was opposite that, deprived of love and care. Now his father had a purpose for him, to live again and fight. His eyes glowed a radiant violet before he slipped back into sleep.  
  
After the whole incident with Unit-01 and Shinji, Rei slipped back into her usual monotone self. It was routine for her, same old thing everyday. Nothing interesting or out of the ordinary happens, her purpose to protect, her bond to the people to Eva. Her bond with the boy who took his time to stop and make her life interesting. That boy is now gone, now it's the same thing everyday. Routine what we are used to and what we will continue doing. But that routine has been broken today, as for the lonely azure-haired angel received word that the boy who sparked interest in her life is not gone. He is living and is residing in the hospital; she decided it has been too long without him. She briskly made her way to where he was.  
  
To where it all begins...  
  
A/N:  
  
This was an unfinished chapter I wrote earlier. I was never satisfied with the way this chapter came out but it will be enough for now. As usual review, and farewell for now. I will continue trying to dish out another chapter but it will not be anytime soon.  
  
Ah and my Email has changed to p5ngmeawy@hotmail.com Feel free to email me... 


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